Western-origin-hypothesis
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Arenivaga floridensis
Florida Sand Cockroach
Arenivaga floridensis is a sexually dimorphic, fossorial sand cockroach endemic to Florida scrub ecosystems. It is the most geographically widespread faunal endemic of Florida scrub, documented from 11 peninsular sand ridges. Genetic analysis reveals three major mitochondrial lineages whose divergence corresponds with late Pliocene peninsula insularization, supporting a western origin hypothesis with colonization during the Pliocene or earlier. The species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism: males possess fully developed wings and engage in low, erratic flight at dusk, while females are completely wingless and remain entirely fossorial throughout life. Its distribution is restricted to friable, sandy soils beneath light leaf litter of sand live oaks (Quercus geminata).